Michael May sent this out with a note that says: “Alder Verveer asked that I distribute this amendment that he will offer from the floor tonight. This language was agreed to by Alder Verveer, the Mayor’s office, the HR Director and me.” Since when does an alder negotiate with staff for what they can and cannot propose to a resolution?
Amendment offered by Alder Verveer, Legistar File 20248; December 14, 2010
Amend the Version 3 in Legistar (Version 5 as denominated by Alder Clear) by:
1. On page 5 of the Resolution in Legistar (page 2 of the Resolution as distributed on 12/13/2010), delete the second and third full paragraphs containing Be it further Resolved clauses (the clauses relating to negotiations with Local 60 and employee accrued benefits), and also delete Exhibit B to the Resolution.
2. Replace those Be it Resolved clauses with the following clauses:
Be it further resolved, that the City, through the Mayor’s office and the HR Director, shall enter into negotiations with AFSCME Local 60, and such negotiations shall generally include issues related to the transition of employees at Overture Center (including hourly employees as applicable) as it moves to private ownership and operation on January 1, 2012, and shall include the following topics:
1. Allowing Local 60 members to bump into City employment at a time prior to or after the transition date of January 1, 2012.
2. Establishing a limit on applicants for City vacancies in Local 60 positions to Local 60 employees.
3. Establishing a severance payment in recognition of the loss of City benefits, including sick leave, pension or other benefits, for Local 60 employees who choose to move to employment with the 201 State Foundation.
4. Consideration of other ways in which the City can increase the likelihood that employees who wish to stay with the City will find acceptable placement in a position that minimizes negative impacts on other City employees, including offering training classes to these employees.
Be it further resolved, that the HR Director shall also enter into negotiations with IATSE Local 251 over transition issues at Overture, and,
Be it further resolved, that it is the intent and desire of the City that the results of any negotiations with Local 60, to the extent applicable, shall also be applied to non-represented City employees who are currently working at Overture, with the overall goal of avoiding City layoffs, and that the HR Director shall brief the Board of Estimates on the progress of negotiations before any agreement is reached.
Wait a minute. Verveer didn’t negotiate with mayor and staff on what he could and couldn’t introduce — he negotiated on what they would support. And that is perfectly appropriate and even necessary. Council can consider on its own — but when an alder is introducing an amendment to a deal that was supposedly struck, I think it’s certainly significant that mayor, atty and hr support it. Are you seriously criticizing an alder for working with the executive on a matter of such extraordinary importance? Really?
Um . . . staff aren’t policy makers, they are staff and he doesn’t need their support. I’m not being critical of Verveer, I’m being critical of staff for forgetting their role. If they want to make policy, run for office. Most of the staff are good at remembering that and pointing it out when asked to make a policy decision.
I’ll live vicariously through Stu Levitan to say back to Konkel’s point:
“Oh, I see.”
Generally men in this town don’t admit when a woman makes a valid point so I’ll call on my male hormones to say in the name of men, “Oh, I see. Good point, Konkel”
Of course you were critical of Verveer. You wrote: “Since when does an alder negotiate with staff for what they can and cannot propose to a resolution?” The subject of your sentence is Verveer, not staff. And do you seriously think the mayor, attorney and HR are not legitimate and important participants in the city’s consideration of this matter? If I were voting on something like this, I’d sure want to know if they supported or opposed it. I guess YMMV.
I was being critical of staff. When I was an alder, I often found myself negotiating with staff just to get something to the council floor. Yes, to some extent you have to do that, because otherwise they will undermine you on the floor and that sucks. Sorry I’m a bad writer. I was NOT being critical off Verveer, I admire his work on the Overture and think he did his best. Sometimes the system around you is the biggest fight, not the 11 votes, that was my point.